This isn’t kissing.It’s a conversation.It’s mouths acquainting and inviting.It’s lips whispering,I love you.My heart skips.My breath falters.
“Sadie, you in here?”
I pull away.My mother is standing at the entrance, her mouth ajar.“Um, hello?”She looks between us.“Sadie, what’s all over your face?”
Jonathan swipes the tip of his nose, erasing the evidence.But it’s useless.She knows exactly what we’ve been doing.
I slide off the stool.“Be right back.”I take the long way around the kitchen island to the hallway, keeping clear of my mother.
As soon as the bathroom door clicks behind me, my legs are suddenly made of Jell-O and give out.A small squeal escapes as I collapse onto my back, kicking my feet in the air.Thatwas the most amazing kiss of my entire life.And it meant everything.I can still feel it tingling in my toes.I laugh, unable to contain the fizzy sensation in my head.
The door bangs against my feet.My mother’s head pokes in.“What are you…” She sighs.“Sadie, you’re being strange again.And as much as I adored your quirks when you were six, it’s a bit unsettling now that you’re almost eighteen.Could you please get off the floor and wash your face?”
I scoot up to sit, not committing to standing just yet.My face is all small as I peer up at her.
She sighs again, stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.“I didn’t realize you two were… more.”
I shrug.“And?”I wasn’t exactly hiding it from her.Not any more than I was hiding it from the entire school.Probably because I knew everyone would have something to say, including my mother.
“Um, nothing.I just didn’t know.I’m a bit surprised—that’s all.”
“Me too,” I admit, still floating in my fizzy brain bubble.
“You seem… happy.So, I’m happy too.”But she doesn’t sound it.There’s a hesitancy in her voice that I’m choosing to ignore.Not about to go there with her.Whatever she’s not saying can remain unsaid.“Well, wash your face and come on out.You have a mess to clean up.”
“We’re not done,” I blurt, not wanting our date to be over just yet.“We still have to carve the pumpkins and eat pie.”
“Oh, uh, we have people from your father’s campaign coming over.”
“Then we’ll do it somewhere else.We’ll move everything to the sunroom.We won’t bother anyone there.”
“I already told him he should go.”
This gets me to my feet.“Mom!Why’d you do that?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I didn’t realize you were going to be here.And this is important.You can see him tonight at the game.”She frowns in apology and leaves me dumbfounded in the bathroom.I groan.
I groan again when I see the stringy orange mess on my face.What was I thinking?Right, I wasn’t.But he still kissed me.Reallykissedme.The dazed smile takes over my face.I laugh at the ridiculous reflection before going to my room to shower—since I managed to get pumpkin in my hair as well.
When I return to the kitchen, our pumpkins are set on a counter, out of the way, the newspaper disposed of.I’ll finish my carving later tonight or maybe in the morning.Jonathan didn’t even start… wait.He did carve into it.
I spin it to face me and am possessed by the dreamy smile once again, accompanied by the hummingbird flutter in my chest.He carvedSP + JRall the way through with a heart scraped around it so it will glow as the light seeps through our initials.I rummage around in the cabinets for the votive candles.This pumpkin isn’t going on the steps.I heft it up and take it with me to my room.
I’m sorry she asked you to leave,” I tell Jonathan as I lie across my bed, my hair wrapped in a towel.
“It’s okay,” he tries to assure me, but I can detect the disappointment in his voice.Probably because it’s the same emotion that’s settled into my chest.“How about we finish the date tonight?Skip the game and go to Just’s and get dinner?I know it’s not very original…”
“That’s perfect,” I reply quickly.“Pick you up at seven?”
“Oh, uh, right.How about I meet you there?”
“How’d you get home anyway?”I ask, realizing I drove.
“I’m not home.I walked to Sean’s, so I’ll just have him drop me off on his way to the game.”
I didn’t realize Jonathan hung out with Sean.I thought he was more Oren’s friend.He lives a couple streets over and is at Livvy’s a lot with Oren and whoever else she has over.There always seems to be cars parked in her driveway, no matter what day of the week.
“Yeah, sure.I’ll meet you at Just’s.”Before he can hang up, I add, “And, um, I love the pumpkin you carved.”
